Campus News

Westminster President Joins National Alliance to Improve Student Learning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Krista DeAngelis (801) 832-2682

Nov. 4, 2010

WASHINGTON – In a national initiative to improve student learning on U.S. campuses, Westminster College President Michael Bassis has joined more than 70 college and university presidents who have signed an agreement to expand their efforts in gathering and reporting evidence of student learning and using it to improve outcomes.

The Presidents' Alliance members, which include two- and four-year, public and private colleges and universities nationwide, have also agreed to assist each other in this work, publicly report on their efforts and encourage other institutions to take similar steps.

“As the United States sets a national goal to again lead the world in educational attainment, it is critical that undergraduate degrees and credentials reflect a high-quality education,” explained David Paris, executive director of the New Leadership Alliance for Student Learning and Accountability, which developed the initiative. “This requires colleges and universities to develop evidence of students' skills and knowledge as they work toward and complete their undergraduate studies. Quantity and quality both matter; higher rates of attainment need to be accompanied by higher levels of achievement.”

A description of the Presidents' Alliance, including an online searchable database that describes each institution's commitments, can be found on the Alliance's website. The commitments indicate the willingness of schools to improve their efforts and to provide a shared resource for other institutions.

“Westminster has a long standing commitment to assessing student learning and using the data we collect to increase student success and promote continual improvement,” said Bassis. “I'm pleased to see that other institutions are recognizing the value of this approach and I am sure we can learn much from each other as we continue to seek ways to help families evaluate colleges and help higher education document its value to students and society.”

The New Leadership Alliance for Student Learning and Accountability, established in 2009, is a non-profit advocacy-focused organization that leads and supports voluntary and cooperative efforts to move the higher education community toward gathering, reporting on and using evidence to improve student learning in American undergraduate education. The Alliance envisions a self-directed, professional higher education community that produces an increasing number of college graduates with high-quality degrees in preparation for work, life and responsible citizenship.

About Westminster:
Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning. Westminster prepares students for success through active and engaged learning, real world experiences and its vibrant campus community. Westminster’s unique location, adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and to the dynamic city of Salt Lake, further enriches the college experience. For more information, visit www.westminstercollege.edu or follow WestminsterSLC on Twitter.